How do lyrics impact you?

[xLorrainex]

When you listen to lyrics from a J-Rock group, how do they impact you, and why?

Diru's song Mazohyst of Decedence always makes me slightly depressed. You see, I was supposed to have been aborted...my mom was never married to my father, so my family had a fit, and kinda forced my mom to do the abortion thing. For some reason, it didn't work out, but I was born 4 months premature. My grandpa has said it was the worst idea of his life, and that he's glad I was born.
(I still love my grandpa to pieces!)

So, what about you guys?

[BlackJack]

Um.........wow.

Anyway, it really depends. Some bands like MAXIMUM THE HORMONE or Radwimps get me pumped up, because they are fast-paced and aggressive.

But softer, more melodious artists like Rei fu and Yoko Takahashi make me just feel.....mellow.

Since I can't speak Japanese, the lyrics themselves really don't effect me as much as how they are presented.

[Fuyumine]

As a non-speaker of Japanese, J-Rock lyrics usually have no affect on me unless they're speaking in english. Not that the song won't draw some kind of emotion, memory, or thought out of me. Otherwise I'd just stick to english speaking artists.

There's a song by The Pillows, though, that kind of picks me up whenever I'm really, really feeling down. It's a song called "Thank You, My Twilight." And while there's very little english in the song, it manages to pluck the heart strings. It's a great song, through and through.

[Mellusia]

I think in general, the way a singer sings a song and the music accompanying it definitely can be effective in impacting a listener. I do agree that because I don/t understand Japanese that I can't fully appreciate (or am even aware) of the implications of the song itself, but I could still enjoy it.

And as Fuyumine said, sometimes the random English lyrics can really hit you. This one song, "Moon Tears" by...well, not sure who exactly, has a English phrase that get's to me a little: "Stay in my heart".

[Fuyumine]

And as Fuyumine said, sometimes the random English lyrics can really hit you. This one song, "Moon Tears" by...well, not sure who exactly, has a English phrase that get's to me a little: "Stay in my heart".

Yes, exactly! It's little bits and pieces like that, that when they're sung they seem so... inexplicably profound. It manages to draw up some kind of emotion or feeling, which is what it's supposed to do in the first place. LOL.

[Contra Fates]

I'll be honest...lyrics in general don't really have much of an impact on me. =/ Since I've been listening to J-Rock from a young age, I really got to a point where it wasn't the words that mattered...it was the melody, the composition.

I admit that some J-Rock lyrics are very good. I'm particularly fond of Kaya and Hora's lyric writing from Schwarz Stein/Solo.

For an excerpt:

You take the world you can see in your palms continuing and softly, hold it now…
Pulsing as you throw it down, a newborn light will abound, and enfold you into one
Then to be touched by sadness like you once were, to be stained by hatred like you were before,
All those things no longer exist anymore
As you walk freely forth…
In the moment that you close your eyes, and paint this imagery
You pluck even the sun from it’s place in the sky and gently
Carry its light in your chest while the universe and everything
Change as this world begins to fade away.
When you open your eyes you find yourself in a reality,
Where things seem just as if they had been created within your dreams,
Here the future is born from things so simple as just your wishings,
In this world from deep in your heart…keep living
Though your nails were torn clawing through suffering, and tied down in defeat you had stopped moving,
All those things no longer exist anymore
As you walk freely forth…
In the moment that you close your eyes, and paint this imagery
You pluck even the sun from it’s place in the sky and gently
Carry its light in your chest while the universe and everything
Change as this world begins to fade away.
When you open your eyes you find yourself in a reality,
Where things seem just as if they had been created within your dreams,
Here the future is born from things so simple as just your wishings,
In this world from deep in your heart…keep living

I just find the lyrics to be really touching. The song is good, too. xD Even the original one with the girl singer.

[Fatal Impurity]

Lyrics ring rather deep in me since I've always had a love for literature and it's ability to influence the human phyche. Where it comes to J-pop specifically though I'm not entirely bothered since I cant speak Japanese (although I'm just starting to learn!). Having said that though "Redemption" by Gackt has some freaking awesome lyrics :-P

Japanese

Shizuka ni sora ni kaeru anata no sugata wo
what else can I do besides avenge you?
Namida ga kareru made zutto mitsumete ita
Afureru kanashimi wa kese nai kizuato ni
Wasure wa shinai to chikatta
Oreta tsubasa wo habatakase
Subete wo keshsite mise you
Itsu no hi ka owari wo mukaeru
Saigo no kane ga nari yamu made
you told me
live as if you were to die tomorrow
feel as if you were to be reborn now
face as if you were to live forever
Furueru yubi de akai namida wo nazotta
I had nothing to lose, nothing truth
Hakanai omoide ga yami ni ochite yuku
Saigo no hohoemi ga ukandewa kieru
Nukumori dake wo nokoshite
Yasashii dake no kotoba nara
Ima no bokuha iyase nai
Hateshi naku tsuduku tatakai ni
Kono mi wo subete sasageru dake
Itsuka wa kono sora ni daremo ga kaeru kara
Wakare no kotoba wa ira nai
make it up
Oreta tsubasa wo habatakase
Subete wo keshite mise you
Itsu no hi ka owari wo mukaeru
Saigo no kane ga nari yamu made
Yasashii dake no kotoba nara
Ima no bokuha iyase nai
Hateshi naku tsuduku tatakai ni
Kono mi wo subete sasageru dake
REDEMPTION...REDEMPTION...

English

Your form which returns gently to heaven
What else can I do, besides avenge you?
I watched it for the longest time, until my tears dried up.
And the sorrow overflowing from the scar which can't be erased,
I swore that I would never forget it.
I'll flap my broken wings and erase it all some day, you'll see,
Until the last bell ringing the dirge completes.
You told me to live as if you were to die tomorrow.
Fail not and be what we were now
Face as if we want to have forever
Bright red tears traced by a trembling finger,
I had nothing to lose, nothing to lose
It crashes through the dark memories.
The last smile wavered, and disappears,
And the warmth is all that's left.
Your kind and gentle words can't heal me now,
This body's only dedicated to the never ending fight.
Because everyone returns to heaven, some day,
You'll never need to say goodbye.
Break out!
I'll flap my broken wings and erase it all some day, you'll see,
Until the last bell ringing the dirge completes.
Your kind and gentle words can't heal me now,
This body's only dedicated to the never ending fight.
REDEMPTION...REDEMPTION...

[Emiko]

Lyrics, whether they be in English or Japanese, impact me a lot. Even though I don't understand what the Japanese bands are saying, there's something in their words and the melodies that evoke feelings out of me. One particular song that never fails to impact me is 'Marble-s' by LM.C. The melody of the song makes me think of the past, and all the good and bad times. It's rather nostalgic in my opinion.

English translation:

We run, chasing after the place of that vapor trail
How far can we go in this way?
Although there is no decision made
Searching for something is not enough
What if we realize what we should be searching for? Without knowing, the day comes to an end.

If you compare this world to a great marble
Being anywhere, doing anything 'Cause it keeps on rolling, huh. Giving us a ride

Again today, for some reason if one day ends, tomorrow turns into today
Without reason, though occasionally there's the kind of night that makes me not want to cry
Don't lose sleep over it! There's no hurry.
These roads connect somewhere to sometime, and there's an answer

Even though there's no plan forced out, Why does it always seem to be us?
Everyday is "right aimed at left" Though you don't mind.
How many words do you choose? How much do you throw? Things are skillfully out of reach.

If you compare those tears to a little marble
Easy to spill, easy to be broken, a transient diamond, do not lose them

In this place, how far do you stretch out this hand before someone somewhere can reach it
Occasionally there's a morning that makes me not want to escape to anywhere
And great sadness sometimes will become a little happy story
Surely sometime those tears cried when trying to be tough will glitter, the day will come

If you compare this world to a great marble
Being anywhere, doing anything 'Cause it keeps on rolling, huh. Giving us a ride

Again today, for some reason if one day ends, tomorrow turns into today
Without reason, though occasionally there's the kind of night that makes me not want to cry
Don't lose sleep over it! So there's no hurry.
These roads connect somewhere to sometime, there's an answer.

Never have I been in such a dark mood that this song hasn't brightened my day. Even when everything is dark, this song acts like a ray of light that breaks through the darkness and tells me that even though things are rough, I can make it through and somewhere in time, these roads will connect and the answer I have been searching for will be found. All I need to do is be patient and take the good with the bad.

[BlackJack]

If we're talking about english lyrics, they don't come more tear-jerking than Cats In The Cradle. It's been recorded by SEVERAL artists, but my favorite version is by Queensrÿche.

It tells the sad story of a man who loves his son, but works all the time. His son later picks up the same habits and neglects his father in his old age, much to the father's despair.

 

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home dad?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

My son turned ten just the other day
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw", I said "Not today
I got a lot to do", he said, "That's ok"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

Well, he came home from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad
It's been sure nice talking to you"

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then Dad
You know we'll have a good time then

[Fatal Impurity]

If we're talking about english lyrics, they don't come more tear-jerking than Cats In The Cradle. It's been recorded by SEVERAL artists, but my favorite version is by Queensrÿche.

It tells the sad story of a man who loves his son, but works all the time. His son later picks up the same habits and neglects his father in his old age, much to the father's despair.

 

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home dad?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

My son turned ten just the other day
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw", I said "Not today
I got a lot to do", he said, "That's ok"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

Well, he came home from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad
It's been sure nice talking to you"

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then Dad
You know we'll have a good time then

I know what you mean Cat's in the Cradle is a all time classic song, with Bon jovi's rendition being my favourite :-P